Naomi Osaka faces health concerns heading into the 2026 Australian Open after revealing a persistent cough that has hampered her performance during the Australian swing. The four-time Grand Slam champion opened her year at the United Cup with mixed results, raising questions about her condition as she prepares for her title bid at Melbourne Park this month.
Her recent illness and struggles on the court have drawn attention as the tournament approaches.
Naomi Osaka Is Still Suffering From Illness Ahead of the Australian Open
Osaka’s battle with her persistent cough is still not over, as she took to Instagram Threads asking followers for tips on getting rid of the illness. The post highlighted her ongoing health struggle during her matches at the United Cup in Perth. She wrote,
“Anyone have any tips on getting rid of a cough?”
During her post-match press conference after losing to Maria Sakkari, Osaka opened up about the cough, explaining where it originated and how it affected her gameplay on the court.
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The former World No. 1 blamed her daughter, Shai, for the illness. Osaka revealed that she had been suffering from cough symptoms since before Christmas Eve, making it a concern heading into her first tournament of the season. When asked about her condition for the Australian Open, she remained cautiously optimistic.
“I definitely feel better every day. But it’s ironic, literally every time someone asks me, I say yes, then I start coughing. I don’t know what’s going on with the cough. I think it will be fine for the Australian Open,” Osaka said during her media appearance in Perth.
Osaka’s illness was evident during her opening match at the United Cup on Friday, January 2, when she fell to Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 34 minutes. However, she bounced back three days later with a convincing performance against Great Britain’s Katie Swan, winning 7-6(4), 6-1 in one hour and 53 minutes at RAC Arena.
Despite the victory, Japan was eliminated from the tournament when Great Britain clinched the tie in the mixed doubles match that followed.
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Now all attention turns to the Australian Open, which begins on Jan. 18 at Melbourne Park in Victoria. Osaka is World No. 16 and is expected to enter the tournament as the 16th seed in the women’s draw. She has previously won the Australian Open twice, capturing championships in 2019 and 2021. Her overall record at Melbourne Park stands at an impressive 26 wins against just seven losses, a winning percentage of 79%.
With her serve in good form, as demonstrated against Swan, and her experience at the venue, Osaka will be looking to add another major title to her resume when the tournament commences.